A bio-environmental perspective on Emirati female college students’ experiences in virtual learning communities of inquiry

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Aysha Saeed AlShamsi¹ 

[1] Faculty of Education, Department of Early Childhood Education, Higher Colleges of Technology, P.O. Box 20711, Al Ain, 25026, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates;

关键词: Bio-ecology perspective;    Cognitive skills;    Community of Inquiry;    Convergent parallel mixed methods;    Interpretive phenomenology;    Online classes;    Postsecondary education;    Virtual classrooms;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s41239-021-00281-y

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

During the coronavirus pandemic, educational institutions were forced to shift to virtual learning. Drawing on the Community of Inquiry framework and bioecological perspective, this research explores the virtual learning experiences of female college students at one higher education institution in the United Arab Emirates using an interpretive phenomenological paradigm. A convergent parallel mixed method design was implemented with participants (N = 350) who completed a questionnaire about the challenges of virtual learning followed by semi-structured interviews (N = 10). Observations, journals, and peer-reviewed literature was also used to explore the influence of cognitive, social, and teaching presence on students’ perceptions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The researcher found students had a high perception of the three influences of Community of Inquiry framework and were aware of its importance. Furthermore, there were clear relationships between cognitive and teaching presence and cognitive and social presence. The importance of online teaching and learning strategies supports the interactivity of these presences.

【 授权许可】

CC BY